Mixing device



MIXING DEYICE Filed Sept. 16, 1935 A'I'TORNEY Patentecl Oct. 19, 1937UNITIE.D STATES PATENT OFFICE 2096442 MIXING DEVICE Joseph H. Wittmann,Kansas City, M0. Application September 16, 1935, Serial N0. 40,732

- My invention relates to a simple, inexpensive mixing devioe whioh maybe made in different sizes Land employed to advantage looth domestically and commercially in the stirring, whipping. aerating, o1 mixing ofvarious hot o1 cold articles such, for example, as diiferent liquids,various Kinds of soluble solids, or for mixing both liquids anal solidstogether in a thorough and expeditious manner.

An import-ant feature of the invention resides in an agitator whioh, inits preferred embodiment,

comprises a -suitable num'ber of paddles flexibly conne ted to a driveshaft so that they may be folded umbrella-like against the latter andthus reaolily enter a container having too small a mouth to admit saidagitator whilein extended position'. The flexible connections alsopermit the padclles to readily accommoclate themselves' to flat,concave, or other shaped bottoms of different kinds of containers intowhioh the agitator may be introduced.

In practice, the paddles sweepthe bottom of the cont-ainer so thatsoluble solids being mixed with one or more solvent liquids will bereadily dissolved instead of being allowed to accur'nulate upon thebottom as when the paddles opetate some dist-ance above said bott0m.Furthermore, sinne the paddles operate upon the bottom they Will notsplash the mixture from the container even though the latter be in theform of a shalloW dish, or pan.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, referenoe Will nowbe had to the accompanying drawing, in whioh:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of one form 0f the mixing device.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view oh line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. 1,with th e agitator removd.

Fig.4 is a broken vertical se(ztional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, withthe drive shaft in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail, partly in section,

s Claiins. (01. 259-428) end. with an. agitator comprising a pluralityof flexible paddles 4. Each paddle oomprises a narrow wire loop bent inzigzag formation to provide fingers 6 for rendering the paddle moreefficient in its operation of mixing foods, beverages, ohernicals andother compositions or ingredients.

The shaft 2 is provided at its lower portion with radially disposed lugs8 having eyes through whioh the rear portions of the respective paddles4 loosely extend. so that said shaft 2 may operate at various anglesWith respect to the paddles The loose conneotions also permit thepaddles 3 to be folded upwarclly umbrella-like against the shaft 2, asinclicated by the arrows on Fig. 1, and. eaoh paddle has a stop II) inthe form of a depending loop adapted to contact the associated 111g 8and thereby check the downward movement of the paddle afte1 the Same hasreached an approximately horizontal position. H The mixing device in itsmost simple form may consist only of the shaft 2 and one or more paddles4 whioh may be operated by plaoing the shaft 2 between the palms of thehands and moving the latter back and. forth in opposite directions toimpart an alternating rotary motio to the shaft and the paddles.

It is apparent that difierent kinds of motors may be employed fordriving the shaft 2. In Figs. 1, 3 and 4, I have shown a simple form ofmotor whioh may be operated With one band and comprising a bow spring I2provided at its lower ends with a pair of oppositely extencl- Ing raoksI4, I4a, engaging diametrically opposite portions of a pinion I6 on theshaft 2. The sides of the spring I2 have concave portions I8 to providea convenient band-grip, and lugs 20 for eng:.ging over the forefingerand the thumb of the opeiator. By alternately compressing and. relieVingthe bow spring I2 high speed. alternating rotai*y motion may betransmitted. to the agitator through the 'ir1termediarsr of the racks,I4, I 1a, the pinion I6'and the shaft 2.

The raCks I4, I4'a form one of the longitudinal sides of respectiveslots 22 and 22a formed in the 4 lower portions of the spring I2 asshown by Fig. 3, to accommodate the pinion I6 whioh projects throughsaid slots. The lower portions of the bow spring I2, whioh are arrangedto slide one upon the other, are held in operative relation to eaohother by lugs 24a, 24. The upper central portion of the bow spring I2 isprovided with a bearing 26 in whioh the upper portion of the shaft 2 isjournaled.

' it may be readily inserted in a container hav-:

In the modifiiad forrh shown by Fig. 6, 2adesignates the drive shaftwhich is provided a1; its

nates the agitator, 28 a transverse member suitw ab1y connected a1; itsends to the-agitaijo r apnd 2h the drive' shaft which is free1y moi1ntedupon the centrel position of the transversemember 28 so that said driveshaft may assume varilous angular positions with respect to the'gita)tor 4bwhen Ehe devic'e i s eithr atiest 01 in operation. Theagitat0r 4b comprises a Strand of wire bentlin zigzag form to provide a,plurality of fing'ers 612 which add. greatly to the efi'iciencyof thedevice when in operation. The agita. tor 4b is preferably of elbngatedor elliptical foim so that ing 1300 small a mouth t'o admit a circularone whose diameter was equal 170 the leng'th 0f thepresent agitator 4b.V

Fig. 8 discloses a; paddle 4c which is somewhat mixing operation. Inpractice one 'or more of the paddles c are fixed so the lower end of thedrive shaft, not shown.

In the modifiecl forms shown by Figs.9 and 10 che paddle 4d co'mprises acoiled wire with the coi1s 32 arranged. in close formation, while theDaddle 4e has the coils 34 inopen formation so that when in ope1ati0nthe ingredientsbeing mixed may pasS between said coils.

So far as I am aware, I am the first provide a mixing'device havingflexible paddles, er paddles flexibly Connected {so the drive shaft sothai} the 1atter may operate at various angles to the former, and alsothat the paddles may be folded against the drive shaft 1:0 enter acontainer having too small a mouth to admit them when in extendedposition, or my apcommodate themse1ves to the irregular shaped bottomspresent in some containers.

It is evident froni the foregoing th at Ihave provided an exceedinglysimple a.nd inexpensivedevice which owing its fiexibility ahd the highspeed at Whioh it may be operated, has proven to be highly efficieht andexpeditious in whipping different ingredients into a blended compo1ind.

While I have shown several difierent frms of my mixing device, I reserveall fights to such other forms and modifidations thereofas propertion asclaimed.

Being 0f pinion. 1

: Havirig thus described my i'nvehtionirhat I c1aim and desire 130secui&e by Letters Patent, is: i 1. A mixing device comprising a, driveshaft,

and an a;gitato-r comprising a plurality of equally .spaced loopsloosely connected 110 said drive shaft and provided with a humber offinger-1ike projections.

2. A mixing device comprising a drive shaft,-

lugs projecting from said drive shaft, and paddles connected so the lugsto swing.in.a vertical plane and prqVided With depegding stqps 'adaptedto proximately horizontal position. 3. Amixing device comprising adriveshaft,

an agitator comprising a p1urality 01 equally spaced loops provided witha number of fingercontact saidlugs and thereby checl; the downward swingof the paddle when the Same reach an aplike proje'ctionslsaid loopsbeingfiexibly con nected 1:0 the drive shaft so that they may be foldedagainst the latt eror extended. to working position, andmeaLnsforoperating the driVe shaft.

' 4. A mixing devfice comprising.a drive shaft, b

lugs projecting radially Iromlsaid*drive shaft, 1

paddles swirigablein 'a; Vertical p1arie and comnected to the -lugs so thatsaid paddles.and:thel

drive shaft may op(arate at various an'g1e5 to eac h other, stopsintegral with thepaddlesariddapted T to' contact said lugs and therebycheck the downward swing of the paddles, anti means for'imparting analterriating rotary motion 1;0 the drive shaft.

5.fA mixing deviceof the 'chfaciief descxibed V comprising. a driveshaft,radiallwdispdsed-lugs fixed 1:0 the lower portion f saiddriveshaft and each having an eye, and paddles swingable in a vertical planeanti each hw1'ng its rear portion extending loose1y through the eye ofthe respective 111g and. provided. with a depen ding loop 'adapted tocontact said lug and thereby limit 40 comprising a driveshaft; anagiator m0unted upon the lower portion of, saiddrive shaft, a pinion onthe upper portion of the drive shaft, and'a bow spring haVingslottedoverlapping recipro0atory ends. adapted to engage diametrically oppos(adportions of said pinion 130 driv6 the same.

8. A mixing device of the Chafaotei;des(:fibed= comprising a drive shaft an 3git'atr mounted,

upon the lowerlportion of sa;id drive shaft, a

pinion 911 thefupper portion of the drive s haft,

and a bdw spring havingslotted reciprocatory ends through which theshaft and said piriion and. impeprt-an alternating rotary n'1oi2ior'1 tothe JOSEPH 1 extend, saidends having'rackS aldaiptedto engage

